Little B was SO shy at the beginning of our session but you’d absolutely NEVER know it when looking at these. We started the first 15 minutes with sweet couples portraits so she could see her mom and dad having fun, and that I definitely wasn’t a baby sitter going to take her away! To tell you the truth, some sessions start like this, some start and the kiddos are already SO ready to be your friend, and BOTH WAYS ARE TOTALLY OKAY!!

Regardless, we always reassure the kids that mom and dad aren’t going anywhere, that we are definitely not babysitters, and that we are totally ready to run around, have fun, and play lots of games together!

Once they start seeing that, really, we’re just big kids too, they loosen up and start enjoying themselves. It’s as easy as that!

And that’s exactly what we let little B do.. She had her time to warm up, and then we spent the rest of their 2 hour session playing and running around… as you can see from these sweet portraits!

I can’t wait to meet her little sister, born shortly after we took these portraits! She’s so lucky to have such a wonderful family.

Paris is one of those cities that people seem to fall in love with. They dream about it, they come back over and over again.. Maybe it's the piping hot croissants or the city's stunning architecture that pulls them in, but it's without a doubt a city of dreams.

When I met beautiful Caroline, she told me about how Paris changed her life, and each time she comes back, it's like a homecoming. It was so important to me to make portraits of her in places she loves and feels her best in.. where her personality can come alive, where she can look back in 30 years and feel the same joy and peace in her heart.

We spent about two hours walking around the 6th, talking, and enjoying her favorite places. What I love so much about these portraits are a sense of discovery yet peace. She's home yet there's still wonder there.

This was absolutely one of my FAVORITE sessions from last spring!! Have you done solo portraits before? What was your experience like? Please comment below! If you'd like to book a session like this, please contact us HERE.

Humbled feelings of excitement, and so much gratitude are all whirling through my head right now.. I always dreamed of being interviewed by a national magazine about my crazy road to entrepreneurship.

Spoiler alert: It’s not an easy road. Every day I work, and struggle, and fail at things..

But every day I’m also beyond happy, succeed, and create.

If anyone wants to know what building a business (an empire?) feels like, it’s a lot like this below. A mix of doubts, crazy internal drive, confidence, and knowing that the rug could be pulled out from under you in an instant.

Thank you a million times to Cece, Brittany and the whole team over at Luca Magazine for this piece AND for making this over-excitable brunette one happy girl. GUYS, Pick up a hard copy at your local Barnes and Noble!

Also, thank you thank you to Eden Photography for one of the best portraits EVER of me!

I cannot wait to get back to the south to start having more sessions like this one. Saint Paul de Vinces is the cutest artsy village only 20 minutes from Nice. It has gorgeous winding streets and endless places to photograph. The city of Nice itself is also an explosion of inspiration with it's colored Italian-esc style buildings in the Vieux Nice and it's lovely pebbled beach.

COULD YOU SAY DREAMY!??

I absolutely LOVED working with these two now-parents! We even did a little cuddly part of their maternity photo session in their hotel room!

Flying around the world for my clients is already a dream and with the incredible array of places to discover in France, it's so much fun photographing around the country but being only an hour flight away.

It's hard for me to connect with classic business people especially here in France where boundaries and hierarchy in the business world seems so ingrained in the society. When I come into a company to take portraits they don't know what to make of me.

Sure, I dress professionally, well, actually I dress however I want though I think I dress pretty nicely.

Sure, I speak well.

Sure, I'm educated.

Sure, I know how to handle money.

Sure, I pay my taxes.

Sure, I know what marketing is.

Sure, I run my own business that's nearly doubled by 100% yearly.

But I still don't fit into that classic mold. I don't ask the classic "So what do you do for a living" questions.

To be honest, I don't really care what you do unless you live your passion.

I want to know what keeps you up at night with happiness. I want to know about your first date, your first kiss, how you felt the first time you saw your daughter.

I treat my business as if I was the customer, I don't want people coming into my sessions unprepared, I wanted them pumped up! I want to be able to talk to my clients about any number of things (even if we most notably talk about food, family and travel!). My business revolves around emotion because that's what I want in my photos.

I want the real.

I like to think of myself as professional in my own way, but it's definitely not the classic pants suit type.

One of the reasons I'm talking about this and using this session is because I remember how much I connected with these two (now three!). There was nothing but laughs, funny stories, favorite sports teams and wedding reminiscing. It was pure joy and you see it! There is so much love in this world and I get to catch snip-its of it on a daily basis. I wish that THAT was considered professional:

Talking about your passions

Connecting deeper

Laughing easily

Telling funny stories

Dressing however the hell you want (as long as you don't smell)

Running your business with your heart

Treating your clients how you'd want to be treated..

I know that there are SO many brothers and sisters out there that feel me and are riding the soul-centered start-up train.. This one is for you. This is me saying ladies and gents, I see you, I feel you, I respect you, I appreciate you. And I'm pretty sure that our clients do too.

Have you guys heard of baby mooning? It’s like a honeymoon but before baby.. and IT’S AWESOME! Especially from my end because on baby moons I get to meet awesome clients like these two and spend sunny evenings with them celebrating their upcoming bundle of love.

Also, how cool is spending a few pre-baby romantic days in Paris? I’m in.

Meet Katie Donnelly. An American woman living in Paris. Her photos on Facebook and Instagram make me want to hope a plane back to Paris! Her lifestyle photos of kids make me giggle.

Make sure you read all about Katie's "why". Why she takes the photos that she does. A "why" is required for every photographer because your "Why" influences how you present your work and how people find you.

I’m Katie Donnelly, a happiness expert and family photographer based in Paris,France.

Katie is best known for capturing childhood magic in a quirky, kiddish way. She then shows her magic tofamilies, who seem to forget how very wonderful and full of love the little moments are.

How did you develop as a photographer?

The school of life + photography school. Bosses, clients, teachers telling me what they loved and hated about my work. Taking that, and then finally realizing that I don’t give a crap about what THEY loved, I needed to give a crap about what I love. I realized that I loved kids and everyday life.

Do you have a philosophy of photography/art? How does that influence your photos?

It’s gotta make you feel. If it doesn’t, if you don’t hate it or love it or aren’t inspired by it, it’s not art to you. Point blank. Art is different for everyone. Also, everyone makes crap art, seriously, I take a ton of really bad photos ALL THE TIME because I know that I’m aiming for the really good ones, and it takes a lot of hard work to get them. I’m okay with that. It’s the fun in making art. Though it’s also frustrating.

Has photography opened you to new/different adventures? Into what new areas? How did it happen?

Teaching and writing. They’re both really scary things for me to do, but you gotta jump off the highest cliff to make the biggest splash right?

I’m really passionate about everyone being able to photograph their lives. It’s so, so important. I have only a few photos from when my parents got married and when my brother and I were kids. Before the divorce.

I want to know that I came from love. That they (parents) really loved each other. It’s so personal. So many people come in and out of our lives and have this huge impact on us that echoes for years, and through lifetimes. We need to remember those people.

What makes you “feel” a photograph? How do you translate that “feel” into the picture?

Hmm, I’m not so sure if I understand this question but photographs need to give me emotion. I want to hear the laughter and cry with them. I want to feel how warm and tight her hug is. It’s a whole experience.

Your favorite photos…what makes them special to you?

The people in them. They make me remember certain memories or give me a connection with someone I may not even know. Like I said before, you experience the photos, they aren’t just there to be pretty.

What has your photography taught you about yourself? and the world around you?

That art is really a series of self portraits. My business and goals around photography have pushed me past so many self-made boundaries and made me really dream. It’s made me want to throw up with fear, it’s made me closer to myself. I’m a naturally optimistic person, I’m so joyful so much of the time but I still carry a lot of baggage from my childhood. Like most of us.

It becomes very raw and clear when you dig deep. It’s scary to go down into yourself. You need courage. And a hell of a support team. I’m so glad to have the women over at the FCA, (Female Creatives Association) my other photographer/creative friends, and a partner who celebrates me and lifts me up. I’m really really lucky.

Are you involved in any projects? What do you hope to get from the project(s)?

I just wrote my book (woo!) and am starting some personal photo projects that I’ve beendreaming about and have been too scared to start. Everyone’s always waiting for the right moment when most likely that moment was yesterday. I’m hoping to layer on the emotions and storytelling even more. I’m hoping that doing this project just for me, will help me get past my fears and self doubts of calling myself an artist.

My Take Aways:

Your "why" is the reason behind your photography.

Don't be afraid to take the photos that YOU like.

Any other take aways that caught your attention? Feel free to share them in the Facebook Group.

Happy Weekend Everyone! Looking forward to see how the weekend inspires your details of heart and emotion.

Hey there, gorgeous!

Welcome to the home of Katie Donnelly Photography! I'm Katie, the owner and creative behind this Paris and NYC based engagement and family portrait photography brand. I laugh loudly, I love hard, and I can eat a pound of pasta in a sitting. (Seriously, ask my husband) I love celebrating everyday moments (with champagne of course!) and documenting the weird, the funny, and the wonderful of the everyday through family portraiture. Most days I’m hanging out in Paris or NYC and making art for my KDP portrait clients, or planning the next time I cook for our friends and family. My specialty? Pasta with fresh homemade pesto sauce.

What do you think? Are you the KDP cup of coffee?(that's, cawfee to all you fellow NYers)

Oui oui, madame, I’m sure you are! The KDP family is loving, adventurous and travels the world. You take lots of photos, and road trip with your dog (He sticks his head out the window with his tongue flying in the wind doesn’t he?!). You love enjoying the simplicity life and being silly. You savor the little moments and the big ones. You’re pretty sure that your kids are growing up WAY too fast, but are also excited to see who they become. Your family is your life (they’re probably one of those big crazy families like mine) and you spend a lot of time together talking, laughing, BBQing, and just enjoying each others company.

If this sounds like you, I think we should be friends.. sorry, is it too soon? *ahem* I mean, why don’t you get in touch. Let’s make some artful family portraits for your home..

Doesn’t that beautiful family of yours deserve it?

Katie Donnelly Photography

Paris + NYC PHOTOGRAPHER

"Hey Katie!! I got the album last Thursday and I haven't even gotten a chance to write to you because I've been too busy showing it to friends and family! Thank you so much :). Saying that I loved it is an understatement. You did and amazing job on it and you're an incredible photographer! You helped me keep the memory of my trip in a beautiful way.

Xx

Rossy"

Join in the fun + subscribe!

Sign up to join the KDP Family and receive news and updates.

Bonus freebee inside!

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

We respect your privacy and never share your information.

Thank you gorgeous! Now just be sure to click the confirmation email just sent to your inbox!